Saquon Barkley
NEW YORK GIANTS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Running Back | Penn State | 5 |
Excellence on the Field:
Saquon Barkley's rare talent made him the No. 2 selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he has not disappointed. In his debut season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after leading the league with a Giants rookie-record 2,028 yards from scrimmage. Saquon also set franchise rookie records with 1,307 rushing yards, 91 receptions, and 15 touchdowns. When he ran for 1,003 yards in 2019, he became the first player in Giants history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. On Dec. 22, 2019, Saquon set a franchise record with 279 yards from scrimmage (189 rushing and 90 receiving) in an overtime victory at Washington. Saquon suffered a torn right ACL and meniscus in the second game of the 2020 season and has worked hard for two years to regain his form. On Kickoff Weekend, he was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after totaling 194 scrimmage yards – 164 rushing – and scoring a touchdown in a victory at Tennessee. Through week 7, Saquon has led the Giants to an impressive 6-1 record while accumulating an NFL-high 906 yards from scrimmage, including 726 yards on the ground, the league's second-highest total.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts This Year:
In 2022, Saquon Barkley has continued his amazing charitable efforts throughout Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. In April, he partnered with St. Luke's University Health Network to create the "Saquon Barkley Center of Excellence," a multi-purpose sports facility that will provide opportunities for underserved youth to benefit from physical activity, academic support, and health and wellness services near his hometown in Whitehall, PA. He also attended the Lehigh Valley Allstar Football Classic in Nazareth, PA to celebrate the high school athletes. In May, Saquon received the "Hometown Hero" Award for his charitable contributions at the United Way of New York City's 2022 Gridiron Gala, helping the vital non-profit raise a remarkable $2.4 million for children and families in New York City. Saquon also became involved with Children of Promise, a New York City non-profit that supports kids who have been impacted by the incarceration of a family member by providing after-school programming and summer camps, counseling and therapy, mentoring and family support. He was touched by their mission and now hosts three of their kids and a staff member at every Giants home game. He also continues to do the same with kids from Covenant House New Jersey, along with the amazing work he started with them in 2018. Saquon will also make dreams come true for 500 New Jersey foster kids, by helping the Giants host them at MetLife Stadium in December for the "Jingle Jam" holiday party, where he will party with the kids before personally giving every single attendee a new winter coat, backpack, winter cap and a new ball of their choice. Saquon has made numerous wishes come true every year of his career through the Make-a-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, by hosting children experiencing life-threatening illness for visits to practice, followed by an amazing gameday experience. Always aware of his impact, Saquon goes above and beyond to ensure that every community group or youth football team that is hosted by the Giants organization during training camp or through the season gets photos, autographs and meaningful encouragement from him as part of their visit. Similarly, Barkley consistently makes himself available to local and national media throughout the week and after games, and embodies what it means to be a Giant.
Dedication & Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past:
Saquon Barkley believes in his ability to use his platform to inspire change for young people who others may count out. For this reason, he has poured his heart into supporting Covenant House New Jersey, helping young people ages 18-21 who are facing homelessness and human trafficking by offering immediate shelter and longer-term services that can help them transition to independence. His support for the organization and their young people has been nothing short of remarkable. Saquon's first effort was to start bringing three kids and a staff member to every Giants home game, greeting them on the sidelines pre-game, and then spending meaningful time with them in a private room outside of the Giants locker room after the game. Since 2018, Saquon has hosted 66 youth and 22 staff members at 22 home games. He also hosts an end-of-year celebration for the kids at the end of each season, and has visited Covenant House on numerous occasions, including the holidays. Saquon has also engaged his corporate sponsors into the cause, having Gillette and Campbell's Chunky both donate proceeds. In addition to his personal financial contributions, Saquon has used the power of his celebrity to raise powerful funds for Covenant House. Saquon became the celebrity chairman of Covenant House New Jersey's "Sleep Out: Executive Edition" overnight fundraiser. Prior to his involvement, the annual event raised $750,000. In his first year the event raised $1 million, followed by $1.33 million his second year, and $1.5 million last year. Saquon is excited to be the celebrity chairman once again, and will approach an incredible $5.5 million dollars of funds raised for Covenant House in the past four years after this year's November 17th Sleep Out. This is an especially amazing achievement considering the financial growth occurred during the pandemic. Saquon's work has inspired others to get involved as well. Giants president and owner, John Mara, recently joined the Board of Covenant House Action and Research Tank (CHART) which will research and track youth homelessness and human trafficking data to identify potential new solutions and strategies. Additionally, this year's Giants Significant Others are currently planning their own Sleep Out fundraiser at MetLife Stadium in April of 2023. Saquon also worked with his teammates during the "Team of Teams" Inspire Change initiative to support Covenant House and created a scholarship fund for the kids.
Positive Character & a Lifestyle of Giving Back:
Saquon Barkley is aware and appreciative of the support he has received from his family and community in becoming the man he is today. While he is admired nationally for his athletic ability, he is recognized back home for his humility and kindness to others. 5,000 people attended a parade in his honor through his hometown before his draft day, despite having a population of just 3,200. The State of Pennsylvania also declared March 14th "Saquon Barkley Day." Saquon founded the Michael Ann and Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation with his family to honor his grandmother, and to provide resources to children, young adults and families with a strong desire for positive forward movement. Saquon sponsors an annual back to school celebration with backpacks and school supplies for 300 youth in Whitehall, PA near his hometown, provides Thanksgiving turkeys and meals for underserved families in the Lehigh Valley, and personally handed out 500 turkeys and meals in his birthplace of the Bronx for Thanksgiving last year. He also provides 150 pairs of sneakers in Allentown, PA to families for the December holidays. Since his rookie year, he has also used the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" initiative to celebrate his niece Amirah Johnson, and raise awareness and funding for research of her very rare genetic disorder called DiGeorge Syndrome or "22Q". He also joined other NFL stars to film the Black Lives Matter video condemning racism and violence towards black and brown people in the days following the murder of George Floyd. Saquon's positive character, leadership, and commitment to others has not gone unnoticed by his teammates who recently voted for him to serve as Giants team captain for the fourth consecutive season, serving in this leadership role every year since he was a rookie. The New York Giants are proud to select Saquon Barkley as their 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.